Zanu-PF Zaka East candidate confident

ZANU-PF candidate for Zaka East parliamentary by-elections, Clemence Chiduwa says he is optimistic that the party will retain the seat next month.

Chiduwa, who won the party primary elections will battle it out with Masvingo-based lawyer, Mr Derick Charamba of MDC-Alliance, Mr Clemence Chavarika of NCA and Mr Lazarus Mubango of FreeZim Congress.

The by-election will be held on 21 September. The seat fell vacant following the death of Caston Gumbwanda in June.

Chiduwa said he was going to thrash all the contestants as Zanu-PF was the only people-centred party in the district and beyond.

"People always want a political party which is people-oriented and it is only our party, Zanu-PF which has those qualities.

"Zaka East has always been our stronghold and that will not change.

"I am very optimistic that I am going to be the next MP for this constituency and I promise members that I will not fail them in doing my duties," said Chiduwa.

He said the party has been holding rallies and the support has been overwhelming.

"As a barometer, we had a campaigning rally last week which attracted a bumper crowd. This obviously sent shock waves to other contestants, especially from MDC-Alliance.

"In actual fact, there is no room for opposition politics in Zaka and the whole province of Masvingo," he said.

Zanu-PF Masvingo Provincial secretary for information and publicity Ronald Ndaba said it was a foregone conclusion that Zanu-PF would retain the seat as it was a serious political party.

"Holding the by-election is just but a mere formality as the result will be obvious. No party will stand against Zanu-PF and that is the reason why you see the party winning seats, originally held by the opposition.

"We are sure that we will give MDC-Alliance and two other contesting parties a drubbing, come 21September.

"That is our seat and we are going to retain it without any problem," said Ndaba.